What condition causes one type of supernova via runaway nuclear detonation?
Answer
A white dwarf accumulating too much mass, exceeding the Chandrasekhar limit.
Supernovae are divided based on their causal mechanisms, and one critical path involves white dwarfs. If a white dwarf in a binary system continues to accrete mass from its companion, its total mass eventually reaches a critical threshold known as the Chandrasekhar limit. When this stability limit is surpassed, the degenerate matter can no longer support the star's weight against gravity, triggering an immediate and uncontrollable chain reaction. This results in a runaway nuclear detonation that utterly consumes and destroys the white dwarf, leading to a supernova explosion of the second general type.
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How Common Are Novae? - Physics Frontier - YouTube
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